Unusual Behavior
by Vaerin7
Summary: Shiro, Ichigo's Hollow, is acting really weird.  manifesting outside his body, casual conversation, and pet names that should have him seriously worried.  What's up with the snowy haired Hollow... and why are the Taicho so nervous?


Unusual Behavior

Another day past, another night of patrol, and yet another Hollow to kill. Things are getting monotonous after the war, Kurosaki Ichigo becoming bored with the repetitive nights. When he's not fighting Hollows and rogue Arrancars, he's home or in his inner world arguing with his Hollow. Now he happens to be in his inner world arguing with his Hollow, who demanded his attention. Before the war, Ichigo could easily ignore the annoying Hollow, but now that his mask generated fully he finds the Hollow much closer than he's ever felt him.

"I don't have time for this!" Ichigo screams.

"_Come on now, King_," Shiro cackles as his warm breath hits the back of his neck.

Ichigo jumps in surprise, not having seen his move. He glares angrily and spins around, leaping backwards to put some distance between them. Shiro laughs happily at his King's discomfort, overjoyed that he can cause such a reaction.

"Stop playing games, Hollow!"

"_Awe, but they're so fun_," Shiro laughs in his bubbly voice of distortion. "_Besides, ya need somethin' ta get yer mind off all those borin' jobs the Soul Society gives ya_."

"I don't need anything from you!"

"_Stop shoutin', I'm right here_."

"I'm leaving, so quite annoying me!" Ichigo snaps. "I have homework to do and I don't need you bugging me anymore."

"_Homework's no fun, stay and play wit me_," Shiro pouts.

"I need to get my…"

"_Ya need… ta stay and play wit me_," Shiro whispers in Ichigo's ear after moving quickly behind him.

"I…"

He's cut short when Shiro's arms wrap around his arms and waist, his chin resting on Ichigo's shoulder. This is the first time that he's noticed that Shiro is just a few inches taller than him, making him wonder what other differences there are between them. He struggles against the white being, desperate to get away from him and knowing that he most likely won't succeed.

"_Hush now_," Shiro whispers. "_Calm down, King, calm down. I would never do anythin' ta hurt ya_."

"Liar!" Ichigo snaps. "You're a Hollow; you're always trying to beat me, always trying to devour me! Why should I trust anything you say?"

"_Ya shoulda had this conversation wit me when we first met_," Shiro laughs. "_At least then I wouldn' have ta tell ya that I lied about that whole devourin' yer soul thing_."

"… What are you talking about?"

"_I can' eat souls_," Shiro chuckles. "_I eat dream energy… I'm a different kind of Hollow. I'm one of the most powerful… the _most _powerful… and I have the ability to bond myself with a human soul. Cool, huh_?"

"A different… kind of Hollow?"

"_Tha's right_," Shiro states.

"You're not lying?"

"_Would I lie to ya, King_?"

"Uh… yeah."

A familiar presence within his room diverts his attention, a frown crossing Shiro's lips as he glares into the clear sky above. Rukia has entered his King's room, most likely to drag him off to yet another Hollow. Ichigo lets out a suffered sigh, the signs of weariness and nights of lost sleep finally showing through.

"_Let me deal wit it, King_," Shiro almost pleads.

"No, I'll be fine."

With that he vanishes, leaving Shiro alone. With a silent growl, he tears a dark hole in the air with his claws. After making certain Ichigo is too busy to notice his disappearance, he walks through the portal and leaves nothing but the eerie wind blowing behind him and a knowing Zangatsu watching the sky.

Ichigo is tired, but Rukia was adamant he go with her. Renji and even Toshiro are attempting to defeat a rogue Arrancar, however they've hardly made a dent. When Rukia left to get Ichigo on Toshiro's order, Renji was badly injured and Toshirou was barely holding on.

"There!" Rukia shouts.

"… Grimmjow," Ichigo snarls. "I'm gonna enjoy beating you down."

"Ah, there's the shinigami I was waiting for," Grimmjow grins widely. "Get ready, I'm gonna own you tonight!"

"Rukia, help Toshiro get Renji to Unohana," Ichigo snaps. "I can handle this."

She's hesitant, but seeing the boys' condition she relents and hurries over to them. Ichigo waits until they're gone, both he and Grimmjow unwilling to let anyone come between them in their fight. This is a reoccurring thing between them, Grimmjow getting tired of playing the good boy and eventually making such a ruckus Ichigo is forced out of bed to entertain him. Now, as they stare one another down until everyone is out of their way, Grimmjow realizes just what his midnight outbursts are doing to his favorite orange haired shinigami.

"… You aren't looking too good, Strawberry," he remarks in friendly conversation. "You wanna skip tonight?"

"No, let's just get this over with," Ichigo mutters.

"Perhaps I should stick to once a week," Grimmjow muses. "Three times is getting a little stressful, you think?"

"I'm here now, let's fight."

"Something stressing you out? Wanna talk?"

"When it's over."

He nods and they leap, clashing swords and heading straight into their battle of power and wills. This time, however, Ichigo is tired and overworked and soon falls beneath a triumphant Grimmjow. Grimmjow pins his lithe body beneath him, gazing into the weary brown orbs that normally burn with a passion for fighting.

"You know, when we were in Hueco Mundo fighting… I _prayed _I would beat you," Grimmjow grins widely. "Not just because I wanted to prove myself, but because when a stronger Arrancar or Hollow beats down a weaker one… they make them their bitch."

"… Grimm, get off me," Ichigo mutters.

"I'm not gonna do that now," he frowns. "Then you were my enemy, but now… everyone says you're my friend. You are… aren't you?"

"Of course I am, Grimm," Ichigo smirks. "Just like Renji is my friend… except I'm more violent with you, because I like you more."

"Awe, I'm touched," Grimmjow scoffs.

He reaches down and pulls Ichigo to his feet, the both of them dusting themselves off and sighing in relief. Both of their stress levels have been getting out of hand lately, their usual once a week no holds barred matches gradually increasing to three times a week.

"I'll walk you home," Grimmjow offers.

"Nah, I'll be fine," Ichigo smirks. "It's not far and I can take a shortcut."

"I don't know, Ulquiorra and the others are still hot about the War," Grimmjow says hesitantly. "I don't want you getting hurt… You're not exactly in a good condition to fight."

"And you are?"

"I beat you, remember?" Grimmjow says haughtily. "I can take care of my bitch just fine."

"… I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Ichigo growls. "Talk to you tomorrow, Grimm. Have a good night."

"You, too, Strawberry. Stay safe! You've _no _idea what those guys wanted to do with you then… and I _doubt _their ideas have lost fervor."

Ichigo is indeed tired, cutting through the woods against his better judgment to get home faster. When he's almost through the thick trees, he's slammed against a tree hard and his breath is knocked from his lungs. Ulquiorra is pinning him on the ground before he can even register what's going on, his cold emotionless face glaring heatedly at him.

"Uh… what's up, Ulquiorra?" Ichigo murmurs a bit stunned.

"How can you stay so calm? I have you in a most convenient position, yet you don't even flinch."

"I could still beat you."

He's thrown across the clearing and slams into a tree, Niotra towering over him with malevolent eyes. Ichigo knows he can't win, he's much too worn, and the look within their eyes reminds him of what Grimmjow told him. Right now, Grimmjow dominating him is looking a far cry better than the two homicidal Arrancars before him… Why didn't he just lay down for the panther?

"Aizen wishes to… speak… with you," Ulquiorra remarks. "But we were given permission to… loosen you up."

"Me first, I won the right," Niotra says eagerly.

"Fine, I will be elsewhere."

The green eyed man vanishes and the one left behind leans down to tear at Ichigo's clothes. His eyes don't register the panic, simply turning into his defiant gaze on reflex, and this angers the one over him. With a sharp slap, Niotra attempts to get Ichigo to scream and fails. With hardly any effort at all, he flips the youth over and lifts his hips eagerly.

"Let him go!" Grimmjow snaps.

"… Grimmjow, our traitor," Niotra grins widely. "How I've longed to run you through."

"Let go of my friend," Grimmjow snarls as he draws his blade.

"_There'll be none of tha'_," a strange and powerful voice states from the trees. "_Ya'll both step away from my bitch… Now_!"

The powerful reiatsu slams against them, Noitra thinking its Aizen and scuttling away. Grimmjow, however, won't let anyone harm Ichigo and forces himself to shield the orange haired boy. Someone drops from a tree above, their clothes pristine white although their eyes are a blazing gold that tells them they're not Aizen. There is no bone mask on them, yet they're definitely an Arrancar, and their demonic grin sends a shiver through even Grimmjow. The silver haired Arrancar pulls Ichigo closer to him, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly as Ichigo gains a touch of consciousness.

"Hmm… Shiro? Where are we?" he wonders.

"_Ah, my King_," Shiro grins widely. "_Come, I'll get ya home safely_."

"Okay," Ichigo yawns. "Can we go to bed when we get home, I'm beat."

"_Indeed, my precious jewel, we'll do just tha'_," the Hollow remarks happily. "_Thank ya fer watchin' out fer him, Kitty. Noitra, I'll see later… and he won' like what I have planned_."

Shiro grips Ichigo tightly, his form taller and stronger than the one he uses within Ichigo's mind. His snowy hair is shaggier and slightly longer, his complexion tanned with those same golden over black eyes as before, and his features are sharper and a tad different from Ichigo's. Grimmjow doesn't want to let go of his one and only friend, but Ichigo knows this person and they seem to get along well.

"If you hurt him, I'll kill you," Grimmjow warns.

"_I should think so_," the newcomer smirks. "_I wouldn' trust ya wit him if it were any other way_."

Once he reaches Ichigo's home, Isshin takes note of the Hollow's presence and heads up to investigate. He opens the bedroom door a crack and nearly leaps in to destroy Shiro, as he finds him leaning over Ichigo's bed. He's stops up seeing him tuck the teen in and whisper reassuring things to him, afterward the Arrancar settles himself at Ichigo's desk and draws up a pencil to quickly finish the abandoned homework. Someone had to listen in class and since Ichigo was usually asleep from midnight Hollow busting, Shiro frequently took over so he wasn't caught sleeping.

"_The things I do fer ya, my King_," Shiro sighs. "_Ya should be more grateful ya have me ta look out fer ya. Usually, Hollows don' bother wit homework… it's exceedingly borin'_."

Isshin watches as the Hollow stretches and yawns, setting down the pencil when its finished and vanishing to return to Ichigo's mind realm. He sneaks in and glances at the homework, thinking the Hollow playing a joke on his innocent son and finding all the answers to be correct. With a cautious gaze directed at his son, Isshin makes a mental note to address this matter with Urahara in the morning.

"_Oh, King_," Shiro says at his bedside. "_King, it's time ta get up… Yer gonna be late fer school_."

"Hmm… five more minutes," Ichigo grumbles while turning over.

"_Not likely_," Shiro sighs before smacking Ichigo's butt hard.

"Ah!" Ichigo yelps. "Shiro!"

"_I told ya, yer gonna be late fer school_," he points out once more.

"Oh crap!"

Ichigo falls out of his bed in his haste to get up, Shiro rolling his orbs of molten gold before vanishing back into Ichigo's mind. He was out on his own yesterday and still needs to rest, as he spent most of the night feeding. As he falls asleep within the world of horizontal buildings and clear blue skies, he misses Isshin coming in to speak with Ichigo.

"Hey, dad, what's up?" Ichigo wonders at the lack of a morning attack.

"I've called your school, you're not going in today," he states. "I'm taking you to see Urahara."

"… Why?"

"Your Hollow manifested itself last night, Ichigo," he sighs. "It was a long and very real manifestation. I'm worried it's getting out of hand, so Kisuke said he'd look you over."

The day is quiet, but that doesn't stop the turmoil from lurching through the orange haired shinigami like a NASCAR racer. Isshin rarely ever takes him to see Urahara about his Hollow, as his ex-shinigami father always says he can handle it himself. When they get to the shopkeeper's home, the sight of Jinta and Ururu standing with Urahara has Ichigo wheeling back around to run off. Isshin sighs as he grabs his son's collar, yanking him into the shop and depositing him down the trap door that leads to the training room beneath Urahara's shop.

"Oomph!" Ichigo grunts as the dirt floor breaks his fall.

*_Tha' was a bit uncalled fer, don' ya think_? * Shiro huffs within his mind.

"… Only a bit," Ichigo murmurs into the dirt.

*_Are ya okay, King_? *

"Just fine," Ichigo mutters in pain as he picks himself up.

"Ah, Ichigo, my favorite strawberry," Urahara grins. "Come, let's see what we can learn about your… uninvited guest."

"He's really not that bad," Ichigo sighs. "I don't know why you guys are making such a big deal out of it."

"Ichigo, the stronger a Hollow's manifestation the more powerful the Hollow," Isshin reprimands. "I saw how strong that thing inside you was, he could break out at any moment. He needs to be sealed away."

*_No! King, please, don't let them_, * Shiro gasps. *_I won't hurt ya, I swore. Please, King, I'll be good, please don't let them_! *

"Calm down, Shiro," Ichigo mutters. "They're not doing anything, just stop panicking."

"… Are you talking to it now?" Urahara wonders curiously.

"Uh… yeah."

"Interesting," he smiles. "I've never known any of the Vizards to converse with their Hollows like this. Normally, it's kept to 'shut up' and 'I'll kill you if you dare'. Why do you speak so formally to it? Why do you name it?"

"That' s his name," Ichigo shrugs. "It's not a horrid experience to talk with him, I actually enjoy it. He's a good listener although he can be annoying, but he's stopped trying to kill me since the war."

"I would love to speak with him."

"Urahara, we're supposed to be sealing him!"

"But… it's not everyday a shinigami gets to speak to a Hollow on civil terms."

"Hey, Shiro, Urahara wants to speak with you," Ichigo remarks. "Shiro, get your lazy ass up, I said Urahara… Shiro? Shiro, where'd you get off to… I guess he doesn't want to talk, I can't find him anywhere."

"Does this happen often?"

"Usually when I'm too busy to go Hollow hunting… or when I'm very tired."

"Have you been tired lately?"

"Well, yeah. I've been working harder then ever for the Soul Society, Grimmjow has been three times as feisty as usual, I've had homework piled up to my nose, and Shiro's been whining about me not spending time with him."

"What was that last one?" Urahara says dumbfounded.

"He gets bored," Ichigo sighs. "Depending on his level of boredom, our spars can turn out much like mine and Grimmjow's."

"… I would like you to come to Soul Society with me," Urahara says softly. "I think this job is better suited for more than one genius. I had recently been invited to visit thanks to my help with the war and such, so I think now is the perfect time."

"I don't know… I'm awfully busy," Ichigo murmurs. "I have loads of homework to…"

"No you don't," Isshin remarks. "Your Hollow did it last night."

"… What?" both Ichigo and Urahara gasp.

"Yeah, that's what he was up to. Tucked you in, did your homework, and grumbled to himself about 'the things he does for you' and 'homework is exceedingly boring'."

"… Oh. Then I'll get my stuff ready."

After Ichigo is gone, the two older males turn to one another. Isshin knows that something is wrong by the deep frown that mars Urahara's usually jovial features.

"This worries me, Isshin," he sighs. "Why would his Hollow suddenly be so civil to him? I can only imagine it's running on it's baser instincts."

"What do you mean?"

"Ichigo is a very attractive young man in both power and looks," the shopkeeper says warily. "If his Hollow were to beat him, it would most likely dominate him in more than one area just to make certain Ichigo knows who he belongs to. And, Isshin, as much as we hate to believe it… Ichigo has belong to that monster since I got his powers back. Its one of the drawbacks to forcing your powers like he did."

"Can't we separate them?"

"No, the damage has been done," Urahara sighs regretfully. "Ichigo is stuck within the grasp of that Hollow. His only hope is that he remains strong enough to fight and win. However, the stronger Ichigo gets… the stronger his Hollow gets."

Ichigo is soon within the confines of the Soul Society, the thirteen court guards staring at him in awe and confusion. He hasn't heard from Shiro since they threatened to seal him up, the loss of his Hollow strikingly effective as he feels as though half of himself was torn away. Isshin stayed behind, but Urahara promised repetitively that he would take care of Ichigo.

"Ah, a new guinea pig," Kurosuchi grins. "Nemu, get my things ready. Ichigo has volunteered to be my new guinea pig."

"Like hell," Ichigo snaps. "Urahara made me come."

"Sorry, Kurosuchi, but this isn't a guinea pig," Urahara says with a smile that overlays a steely tone. "Although, I think you'll be even happier with what I think it is, or rather… what I think it holds."

"What it holds is a Hollow!"

"Ah, but what type?"

"There is only one type, the type we kill."

"Silly, Kurosuchi," Urahara says teasingly. "There is an ancient type as well, one we've never been able to catch… is there not?"

"… You don't mean…"

"Oh but I do. I believe that ancient lies deep within Kurosaki-kun."

"You were right, that is worth not experimenting on him."

It's a few minutes later that Byakuya and Toshiro are standing guard, Ichigo sitting angrily on an examination table with two geniuses… one he'd rather be worlds away from…staring at him in thought.

"Did you try talking with the thing?" Kurosuchi wonders.

"He vanished from Ichigo's mind," Kisuke sighs. "He doesn't want to talk."

"It's a male now?"

"That's what Ichigo says," he shrugs. "Says his name is Shiro."

"… How odd."

"I'm right here, why don't you talk to me?" Ichigo snaps. "I hate people acting as though I'm not here."

"Hush, Ichigo," Urahara reprimands. "Try and get your Hollow to talk with us."

"I'm going to look for him in my inner world," Ichigo murmurs. "He usually comes right out to meet me."

"Wonderful… drink this first," Kurosuchi says handing him a vial of dark purple liquid. "It will allow us temporary passage into your inner world… we'll see you on the screen."

"… I don't know…"

"Ichigo, it's for your own good."

"… Fine."

He downs the bitter liquid, immediately falling backward and falling asleep. Urahara and Kurosuchi settle themselves on the floor, and follow Ichigo's lead. They open their eyes within the inner world of horizontal buildings, confusion immediately passing through them.

"I didn't think anyone was this strange," Kurosuchi mutters.

"Look, there's Ichigo," Urahara states in a whisper. "We should stay here, just in case."

"Shiro! Shiro, where are you?" Ichigo calls. "Please come see me, I… I'm really scared. I don't know how fast this stuff works, but… they keep talking about you hurting me. I told them you wouldn't, but they aren't listening to me. Shiro? Shiro, you… you wouldn't let them separate us… would you?"

"_No, I'd never let tha' happen, Ichi_," a new voice says almost fondly.

"Where are you? Why won't you come see me?" Ichigo almost cries.

Urahara and Kurosuchi are stunned to say the least, as they've never known Ichigo could be so… submissive and needy. He portrays such a perfect guardian and warrior on the outside, but inside he's most vulnerable for his Hollow to pick off.

"_They came wit ya_," a snarl rings around them.

"No, they said it would show up on the computer screen," Ichigo says.

"_Ah, Ichi, sometimes ya can be quite gullible_," the Hollow chuckles. "_Ya trust too easily, and tha's why ya need me ta take care of ya_."

"Can I come to you?"

"… _Not this time, King_," the Hollow says sadly. "_I'll be back fer ya soon, okay? Just hang tight an… I don' know… play a good guinea pig_."

"Thanks for that," Ichigo frowns. "I can't believe you'd let them experiment on me!"

"_They won', they know better_," the voice says haughtily. "_I think they know who they're dealin' wit… and it's not someone very nice_."

"You're nice to me," Ichigo remarks.

"_Ah, but yer my precious jewel, Ichi_," they laugh. "_Of course I'd be nice ta ya… Ya belong ta me_."

"Do not."

"_Keep tellin' yerself tha', Ichi_," Shiro cackles in delight. "_Tha' don' change the truth… Ya've been mine fer a long time now. And guess what? I ain't _never _lettin' ya go_."

"Stupid possessive idiot," Ichigo mutters though a light blush burns his cheeks. "Well… if you guys hitched a ride, you might as well come on out. He isn't coming."

"He sounds as though he's already beat you," Urahara remarks as they walk out. "He hasn't… has he?"

"Of course not," Ichigo bristles. "I've won every fight we get into… but we haven't been getting into any lately. He just started whining about me not paying attention to him, ordering me to take a break or get some sleep, and acting all weird when I visit him here. I thought I hit him in the head too hard during our last spar or something."

"He's infatuated with you," Urahara points out.

"What?"

"Your Hollow is attempting to mate with you, Kurosaki. That's a dangerous thing, as Hollows are terribly possessive and manage to keep a mate until their guard goes down… then they kill them easily when they've finished with them," Kurosuchi states. "And worst of all… your Hollow is a Skimmer. They're twenty times more powerful than an Arrancar and can kill a shinigami with a look."

"Ichigo… Skimmers mate with shinigami," Urahara says quietly. "They're the gray area between our races… they can be whatever they want and can bind a person with themselves in the guise of the transition between powerless shinigami to Visored."

"You mean… what we did when I had to save Rukia?"

"Exactly."

"Your Hollow isn't a Hollow at all," Kurosuchi states rather pleased. "And he's been playing you this entire time… staying within your mind creates the soul bond faster than if he were outside it."

"Shiro wouldn't do that to me," Ichigo frowns. "He takes care of me, he wouldn't hurt me."

"We shall see, won't we?"

Urahara and Kurosuchi leave, Ichigo keeping himself within his inner world purposefully. He needs time to think, needs to digest what they've told him, and he won't find the quiet he needs outside in Soul Society. He sits down and bows his head as he leans against some nearby windows, his mind racing and his body feeling quite empty without his Hollow. When the two geniuses find that Ichigo hasn't woken from his slumber, they're worried and set to hooking his mind up to the computer just to monitor him. Urahara is very close to Ichigo and it would kill him to lose his precious 'nephew', but Kurosuchi would never admit to actually liking the orange haired shinigami. It isn't two hours afterward that they hear the distorted voice coming from the computer, both whirling around to see the Skimmer they've been hoping to catch a glimpse of.

"_Hey, Ichi_," he says quietly. "_Ya okay_?"

"They said you were going to hurt me," Ichigo murmurs. "They said you were playing me."

"_They're idiots_," he shrugs as he sits beside the orange haired teen.

He's different now, not bothering to hold his reflective image now that Ichigo knows what he is. His skin is tan, his height clearing half a head more than Ichigo, and his white hair is much shaggier than the short spikes of orange. Three crimson claw marks are tattooed on his cheek, just like those on his mask, and he wears the bankai outfit Ichigo wears when he uses it. They can tell he wants to scoop Ichigo up into his arms, keep him safe from everything outside his mind, but he holds back at the confusion Ichigo has on his face.

"Are you a Skimmer?" Ichigo asks.

"_Yes_."

"You're trying to mate with me?"

"_Yes… and no_," Shiro admits sheepishly. "_Yer too young fer tha', Ichi. I might've come down lookin' fer a mate, but… when I saw how young ya were, I told myself I could wait_."

"The mask I use…"

"_Tha's mine_," he nods proudly.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" Ichigo asks a bit hurt.

"_I don' know if ya noticed but… yer kinda needy in here, King_," Shiro says carefully before covering his head quickly.

When the hit doesn't come, he peeks out from under his arm and catches Ichigo's disgruntled look… but nothing more. With a relieved sigh, he drops his arms slowly and keeps a wary eye on Ichigo.

"Continue," the orange haired teen frowns.

"_Well, it's perfectly understandable_," he states. "_I mean, ya gotta be so strong and stuff out there… it's only natural ya'd want ta find a place where ya didn' have ta be. Ya have ta protect everyone out there, they expect so much, but no one's ever there ta protect ya… 'cept me_."

"And I appreciate that," Ichigo remarks.

"_I know ya do_," Shiro smiles. "_I jus' want ya ta know tha' I'll be here if ya need me… I'm never far. Even if I'm not here in yer head, ya just have ta call fer me_."

"Why are they after you?"

"_Skimmers are rare ta catch_," Shiro smirks. "_We're considered ancients, but the Soul Society has nothin' on us. Only info they got is gossip, they always liked first hand stuff… cuttin' stuff open. They can' catch us cause we skim from mind ta mind eatin' dream energy. Even those bound to a single person don' stay put all the time. I frequent quite a few dreamers… differn' dreams, differen' taste_."

"Should I be jealous?" Ichigo scoffs in humor.

"_Nah, they ain't as good as yer dreams… when ya dream tha' is. Most of the time yer too beat ta dream and I go hungry_."

"Sorry."

"_Not yer fault, Ichi, it's the Soul Society_," he growls. "_They work ya too hard_."

"I don't mind."

"_I do_," Shiro frowns. "_Not cause I go hungry, either! They don' care bout ya, Ichi, just bout yer potential. They're jus' countin' the minutes ta when ya get killed by a Hollow and join em for good. If I were ya, I'd turn in tha' blasted badge and worry bout yer life_."

"I have to protect my friends, Shiro," Ichigo frowns.

"_Tha's yer problem, Ichi_," Shiro growls. "_Yer too big hearted, too worried bout puttin' the world on yer shoulders. I hate ta tell ya this, but placin' two worlds on yer shoulders is too much weight… even fer the original royal blood_."

"Shiro…"

"_But… tha's why I love ya_," he sighs. "I'll tell ya what, ichi. I'll let ya play shinigami, but only as long as ya don't place yer trust in the Soul Society."

"They're my friends!"

"_No, Ichi… They're not. Don' ever make tha' mistake_," Shiro murmurs. "_One wrong move, one wrong step, an' ya'll be facin' the blades of those you called yer friends. Would ya be able ta fight em_?"

"… No."

"_Don' make the same mistake I did_," Shiro says quietly with a hint of sadness. "_I thought they were my friends too… an' then they learned wha' I was. All of 'em turned on me… all of 'em fought ta kill me. I was pushed out of the Soul Society cause I wouldn' fight 'em. I don' want tha' fer ya, Ichi_."

The conversation ends there, Ichigo knowing that Shiro is telling the truth. Even with Byakuya he's never been more than a nuisance meant to treat as an enemy, although he also knows that some of them have risked their lives and status to protect him during the worst of times. In the lab, however, Kurosuchi and Urahara are seriously worried that Shiro is trying to turn Ichigo against them. If there's no trust between them and Ichigo, teamwork will be seriously compromised.

"Call the taicho, Kurosuchi," Urahara sighs. "We'll need to be very careful here. We don't want to alarm them, but we need to make sure Ichigo knows we're his friends and he can trust us."

Ichigo wakes to Rukia and Matsumoto dog piling on top of him, crying their eyes out and squeezing him until he can't breathe. He can see the lab crowded with the taicho and their lieutenants, all of them watching him carefully.

"What's going on?" he asks slightly alarmed.

"Nothing, Ichigo," Urahara assures. "Everyone is here to talk to you… they're worried about you."

"… Kuchiki Byakuya is worried about me," Ichigo states monotonously. "Yeah, I doubt that highly!"

"It's true," Byakuya sighs. "You are still an important part of the Soul Society… and Rukia likes you."

"That's right!" Rukia grins. "As long as you're my friend, aniki will be there for you… because I have him wrapped right here."

She holds up her little finger proudly, earning a halfhearted glare from Byakuya and a stifled chuckled from the others. Ichigo seems uncertain, unwilling to listen to those that once harmed Shiro… if Shiro says not to trust them, he shouldn't trust them. After all, they did want him dead the minute they learned of him having a Hollow.

"I know what you're trying to do," Ichigo states lowly. "You're trying to convince me I have friends here… but I won't listen to you. I do have friends here and I know who I can trust, but there are more I don't trust than those I do. After all… I know the Fuko-Taicho ordered you all to kill me when he learned I had a Hollow in me. That in itself is reason enough to believe Shiro over you."

"Then I'm afraid we have no choice," the Fuko-Taicho sighs.

"Yeah, that's right," Ichigo smiles humorlessly. "Just like he said."

"_I must say, my foresight in impeccable_," a bubbly distorted voice states. "_Come along, Ichi, time to go_."

"Ichigo, don't listen to him," the Fuko-Taicho says harshly. "Hollows are not to be trusted! He'll kill you!"

"… And what will you do?" Ichigo asks gravely.

Darkness swirls around him, the golden eyes of Shiro glancing at them mockingly, and slowly Ichigo disappears. Rukia shouts, reaching for him and yanking her hand back as though it's been burned. She nurses the hand, a warning cut from Shiro's claws marking her pale skin. Byakuya growls, pulling her closer to him as he watches Ichigo vanish.

"What do we do now?" Kenpachi wonders.

"Were you really going to kill him?" Rukia demands in outrage.

"No," the Fuko-Taicho sighs. "The substitute shinigami has grown on even I. I was going to suggest speaking with the Hollow to reach some sort of agreement. I was saving it as a last resort, as I absolutely do not like the thought of speaking to a Hollow on civil terms."

"We need to get him back," Renji frowns. "Rukia and I will go, as we're a couple Ichigo trusts."

"Then it's decided," the old man says. "Be careful, this Hollow is of royal blood… he is more powerful than any of us could imagine."

The night is quiet as they walk through the area, their minds pinpointing Ichigo's reishi signature as their feet follow the path given. They find him sitting near a lake, watching the stars happily as Shiro stalks the area around him. At the sight of Rukia and Renji he tenses, his eyes flicking to the side in thought before he moves to settle near Ichigo. The orange haired teen glances back, smiling widely as they walk forward.

"Hey, guys," he calls.

"Ichigo, are you okay?" Rukia wonders.

"I'm fine. Shiro and I were just talking."

"You left so quickly, you didn't let the fuko-taicho finish," Renji sighs. "he wanted to talk with Shiro about a compromise. He was never going to have you killed… you've got this annoying habit of worming your way into everyone's heart, you know. I do believe even he and Byakuya couldn't live without you disrupting their lives every now and then."

"Aniki can't," Rukia points out. "I've seen him around home. When Ichigo makes an appearance or they fight in the same battle, his eyes are lit up with a joyous fire for a week… and then he starts moping around in a depression until another visit from Ichigo."

"He complains all the time about Ichigo," Renji sighs. "But when it passes, he hardly says two words. I swear, it's like a childhood crush. You know, when they're really mean to one another and pretend to hate one another?"

"_Tha's disturbin'_," Shiro mutters.

"We might be able to convince him to have the meeting here if you're more comfortable with that," Rukia offers to Shiro.

"… _Yer talkin' ta me_?" he asks in surprise.

"Uh… yeah."

"_Tha' would be fine_," he nods. "_Jus' no funny business_."

The next day, the park is filled with shinigami. The taicho of the thirteen guard, their lieutenants, and Shiro alongside Ichigo. The negotiations are quick, as Shiro refuses to relent, and the eventually agree. Ichigo is Shiro's, that much is certain, and he'll allow him to help them… but only on the missions he approves and on the ones he doesn't he agrees to take care of them himself. It's a long way going, many fights and arguments between Ichigo and Shiro, but eventually Ichigo falls into the role of the not-so-obedient-and-highly-violent submissive… Shiro wouldn't have him any other way, though.


End file.
